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Is this KK’s wedding dress? Maybe yes…maybe no….All I can tell you is that it is KK in the photo…I have to say, I love the “Sweep Train.”

From an earlier post, “Wedding Gown Trains!” (click on the link if you want to read the post) I noted that the “Sweep” or “Brush” length train “…is most often less than a foot and a half long. This train just dusts the ground. It became popular in the 21 st century, and is the perfect compliment to the relaxed rustic type wedding that has become popular in the United States. It would fit right in a “Barn Wedding” theme.” Which fits in nicely with the outdoor, natural style KK and Tyler have chosen.

Purchasing a wedding gown, I have discovered, is much like buying a car. OBVIOUSLY, the dress will not be anywhere near the sticker price of a car…but I have learned that wedding gown negotiations are alive and well. Take for example, Maggie’s negotiations with the Grand Dame of all Bridal Salons, Kleinfelds. Click on the following link, “Kleinfelds, Part II” if you want to read the blog post.

KK found a couple of dresses she liked. When we got home from the bridal salon, I google them. The salon was spot on as far as the MSRP was concerned. But there were a few on-line stores, (which had legitimate store-fronts, I checked!), that offered the sale of the same dresses with perks. #1, order from an out of state store on your own, and have it mailed to you…no sales tax, and free shipping. This would be a significant savings…but that’s not all! I ask you, do I sound like an informercial now, or what?!?

#2, If you purchased the gown, (the same exact gown, no knock off, I confirmed…), from the out-of-state store, you would receive a $500.00 credit from their store/website for such things as bridal shoes, undergarments, guest books, champagne flutes, you get the idea. Sounds like a pretty good deal…but I still have questions, so many that we’re not going to take advantage of this GREAT deal…

To the left is a picture of my four daughters, from left to right, Tess, KK, Maggie, ( the bride THIS time around), and Julia outside of Kleninfelds, NYC.

Klenifelds was decorated beautifully for Christmas. You can see a few details behind the girls. The small room immediately behind the them is the vestibule before opening into the larger, grand waiting area – where you see the wreath hanging on the wall.

So…back to the dress experience. It was a little anti-climatic. After all the emotions surfacing from the sisters, and yes, MOM, we were all exhausted.

“Are you going to say yes, to the dress?” Our consultant queried. I always counseled the girls: “If you’re hungry or tired, don’t make a decision – especially if it’s a big one.” And with the Karnes girls, we are hungry all the time. And this time we were tired too.

Maggie still on the fence. So she asked, “Can you take my measurements please, and I’ll call back this week with my decision?” We were pretty sure we had a winner.

Our sweet young consultant became a horrified woman. “Oh no!” she hissed. “Kleinfelds does NOT operate that way!”

I was hungry too…”Look,” I said more harshly than I intended. “We really think we have the dress picked out, but we’re exhausted,” (I left out the hungry part), “and it took us 5 hours to get here.” (A little exaggeration, but she didn’t have to know that). “And I’m not making a ten hour round trip just for measurements.”

“Wellllll,” she drew out the word. “I’d have to ask my manager to make an exception.”
“OK,” I responded.

Long story a little shorter, they made the exception.

Maggie called Kleinfelds a few days later with her choice, and negotiated an 18% discount. She’s not my daughter for nuttin’… I know, 18% is an odd number. When she was negotiating, the initial response was, “Kleinfelds does NOT operate that way.” Well…apparently they do. And 18% of the price of a gown is substantial.

Wedding Gown Trains!

When I started researching wedding gown trains, I did not realize there were so many options…and I’m “Mother of the Bride”! Thanks to Jenny Evans at www.wedding.lds.com, I gleaned much information.

First up, is the “Sweep” or “Brush” length train. It is most often less than a foot and a half long. This train just dusts the ground. It became popular in the 21 st century, and is the perfect compliment to the relaxed rustic type wedding that has become popular in the United States. It would fit right in a “Barn Wedding” theme.

The next length is the “Court Train“. It, like the “Sweep” train, extends from the waist, not the hemline. This style can hide a brides imperfections around the waistline, or hide a tiny waist – so give this option some thought. It can change your silhouette.

“Panel Train” – This is not part of your dress. It’s a about a foot wide and trails behind you. Some brides choose this unconventional, flowing option instead of a veil. In this way, the bride achieves a billowing effect without covering her elaborate hairstyle. This train is usually detachable.

The Watteau Train is worn from the shoulder and drapes down to the bottom of the gown’s hem. It also is usually detachable.

Believe it or not, there are FOUR other train styles, which I will tell you about next time.

What about those chairs? Oh, there are so many things to consider, and the seats where your guests will witness your ceremony can be a huge focal point. Don’t forget to decorate your wedding chairs! Note the photo above. I love this and if your wedding is on a tight budget, you can enlist a trusted friend or relative to untie these jars after the ceremony and use them as reception centerpieces! I’m sure there are mason jars available in multiple hues that would compliment your color scheme.

The photo above with the “Mr.” and “Mrs.” reception chairs is adorable. I didn’t think to do that for Maggie and Rob – but you can bet that I will for KK and Tyler. See — there is an advantage from your mom gaining more experience in wedding planning!

The chair with the mauve covering is designed for chairs that are rather ordinary, and need a little sprucing up. Who’s to say they all have to be the same color? Maybe each table could sport the same type of decoration, but each table could have their own theme and coordinating color scheme…food for thought…

The silver chair below is similar to the type Maggie and Rob had (only their chairs were in gold). I really like the soft flow of this chair decoration. I think it would be better suited for just the head table, however. Can you imaging the work that would go into decorating 200 to 300 chairs in such a manner, and then dismantling them?

Decorations aside…remember to have chairs scattered at meaningful spots around your reception, i.e., by the toasting site, the cake cutting location, and dancing area, for those guests who are elderly or may be recovering from an injury…or may be just plain tired from all the festivities!